Let's Hand in Blank Papers?

Today was the day before the Chunin Selection Exams.

Kanami gathered the Yuzuki sisters and every member of Team 8, except Kurenai Yuhi.

Everyone sat together in a circle.

Kiba Inuzuka asked anxiously, "Kanami, why did you have to call all of us here? I wanted to spend the day doing some last-minute training with Akamaru."

Fūka nodded as well. "My sister and I were planning the same thing. If you don't have anything important to say, I'll... I'll curse you to death!"

She had originally wanted to say she would beat him to death, but remembering that she could not beat him, she changed her wording at the last second.

Kanami raised an eyebrow.

Curse me to death? What a joke!

I'm a man who can out-argue nine people at once.

Kiba Inuzuka patted Fūka on the shoulder and laughed. "Don't worry, I'll help you beat him up!"

Fūka curled her lip. "Forget it. You're not even as good as Akamaru."

"Woof!"

Akamaru barked, squirmed out of Kiba Inuzuka's arms, and jumped into Fūka's embrace, rubbing against her.

It made Fūka giggle.

Kiba Inuzuka glared viciously at Akamaru.

Only he understood the filthy thoughts that perverted dog was enjoying at that moment!

Over this period, Yuzuki and Fūka had often trained and sparred with Kiba Inuzuka and the others.

However, because Kanami had mentioned the rarity of Ice Release and the possibility that others might covet it, Fūka did not participate much in the sparring. She was here more to pet Akamaru.

Seeing everyone staring at him,

Kanami stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point.

"I know what the first written test of the Chunin Ninja Exams will cover."

At his words, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing.

Kiba Inuzuka asked quietly, "Really?"

Kanami nodded.

"The first written test examines a ninja's intelligence-gathering ability and willpower."

"You can cheat during the test, but you cannot get caught by the proctors. If you have no way to cheat, then handing in a blank paper is fine too."

Upon hearing that, everyone exchanged glances.

Their eyes conveyed the same thought.

Kanami had a fever that had fried his brain.

Otherwise, what normal person would advise his teammates to hand in blank papers?

Yuzuki frowned and asked, "You're joking so we won't be nervous during the exam, right?"

"No, I'm serious."

There was not the slightest ripple in Kanami's calm expression.

"If you don't know the answers but insist on writing something, that's what will get you eliminated."

"As long as you don't answer, you can't be wrong. But once you answer, you cannot make a mistake. Gathering false intelligence is the most fatal thing of all."

Everyone looked thoughtful.

What he said did make sense, but that was only if the exam truly tested a ninja's intelligence-gathering ability. If it did not, then all this analysis was meaningless.

Shino Aburame, who had remained silent the whole time, asked, "Where did you learn the exam's content?"

His question was also what everyone else was wondering.

Kanami shook his head.

"I can't tell you."

Something like having already read the script was difficult to explain in a believable way.

He had a good way to make them believe him. Although they would still remain doubtful after hearing it now, they would know whether it was true when the time came.

"You'll understand on the day of the exam. The first proctor will be Ibiki Morino, and he'll explain the rules."

"Each person starts with ten points, and points will be deducted. One point is deducted for every wrong answer, while getting caught cheating costs two points."

"After the exam has gone on for a while, he'll announce a tenth bonus question, and you can choose whether to answer it."

"If you choose not to take it, your score will be reset to zero and your teammates will be eliminated along with you. If you choose to answer but get it wrong, you'll permanently lose your qualification to take the exam and remain a Genin for life."

For a moment, no one knew what to say.

Then Kiba Inuzuka suddenly asked, "Who is Ibiki Morino?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Only Shino Aburame adjusted his black sunglasses and said,

"He is the captain of Konoha Intelligence Division's Torture and Interrogation Department, a sadist who specializes in torturing enemies for intelligence. I hear he looks extremely terrifying."

Kanami smiled. "He does look pretty scary. He even has several scars on his face."

Kanami then rose to his feet.

"Whether you believe me or not, I hope only the few of us know about this."

Kiba Inuzuka asked, "What about Kurenai-sensei?"

Kanami shook his head. "If word gets out that the exam content was leaked, then everything I said today will have been for nothing."

He did not directly answer Kiba's question, but everyone understood that only they could know about this.

"Spend the rest of the time however you want."

After saying that, Kanami took Hinata's little hand and left.

Seeing that, Kiba Inuzuka's heart filled with jealousy.

He then turned to Fūka, scratched his head, and smiled. "Fūka, let's train together."

Fūka hugged Yuzuki's arm. "Kanami said handing in blank papers is fine. I'm going to buy something tasty with my sister."

Then she petted Akamaru and set him on the ground.

"Go on, little dumpling. I'll bring you bones next time."

Akamaru watched as Fūka and Yuzuki's figures gradually disappeared into the distance, his big ears drooping.

Kiba Inuzuka crouched down and tapped Akamaru on the head. "Sob... You're the only one willing to keep me company."

Akamaru gave him a remarkably human look of disdain.

Then it peed beside him and ran off.

"Woof woof woof woof!"

Kiba Inuzuka, who could understand what Akamaru meant, glared furiously. "You really are a perverted dog and an ungrateful mutt!"

Shino Aburame stood nearby with an indifferent expression, occasionally nodding along with his insects.

On Kanami's side,

He brought Hinata to a secluded place.

"Hinata, how many strikes of your clan's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms can you perform now?"

Hinata said somewhat guiltily, "I can only perform sixteen strikes right now."

Kanami nodded at that.

"Let me train with you for the rest of today?"

"Okay," Hinata answered.

Then she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly added, "But don't use Fire Release. I'm not good at long-range attacks..."

Kanami looked at Hinata's nervous expression and smiled. "Don't worry. I won't use Fire Release."

"Shadow Clone Technique."

Poof! Poof! Poof!

Four Kanamis instantly appeared around Hinata.

Hinata blinked and muttered quietly, "I'm not good at dealing with shadow clones either..."

"You'll have to get used to them sooner or later. If you can't do it now, you'll gradually get better at dealing with them in the future."

Seeing that Hinata still lacked motivation and seemed ready to give up, Kanami said calmly,

"Didn't someone say she wanted to become stronger and didn't want to be the one dragging her teammates down?"

"Neji beats you every time. Haven't you ever wanted to beat him just once? Don't you want to see the expression of a so-called genius when he loses?"

Hinata was slightly dazed by Kanami's words.

Those were words she often said whenever she was with Kanami.

She could not say such things to anyone else. Only by Kanami's side could she speak her true thoughts without worry or reservation.

Gradually, her gaze became firm, and she assumed the Hyuga Clan's standard Gentle Fist stance.

"Byakugan."

The instant Hinata activated her Byakugan, she thrust her palms forward and charged at the Kanamis around her.

She wanted to become stronger. She also wanted her father's recognition and did not want to always be the one protected by her companions.

The two trained until nightfall.

By then, Hinata's entire body was drenched in fragrant sweat, and even her arms were trembling.

Hinata charged forward once more.

Every step she took made her body feel incredibly heavy, while her vision gradually blurred.

As long as I can touch him once... Just once...

As she staggered and was about to fall, Kanami hurriedly stepped forward and caught her small body in his arms.

Just as he worriedly held Hinata's soft little hand, her right palm lightly struck his chest.

She then raised her beautiful eyes, blinked, and curled her lips into a faint smile. "I touched you."

After that, she had no strength left. Her body went limp as she collapsed onto Kanami's shoulder and fell deeply asleep.

Hinata's appearance reminded him of how he had once fallen asleep on Hinata's shoulder as well.

Kanami smiled. "Is it my turn to be the pillow this time?"

He carefully leaned against a tree and adjusted his posture to make Hinata more comfortable.